Identifying Business Process Automation areas
Business process automation is one area that many small and medium businesses don’t take advantage of. In one of my previous articles, I explained briefly what business automation was and how you could use it. Today, I would like to identify a technique I use frequently to spot potential areas for automation.
When I visit a client, I will always ask for a description of their business process. If my client is not sure, I will start by asking what happens when a customer calls or when a customer walks in your store. This is an area that most clients are familiar with. This will always get them talking about the process where your salesperson will take your prospective customer through the process. I take notes and let my client talk.
I then shift the conversation to what I normally call as the “backend” process. By backend, I mean the process that takes over in converting your prospect to a customer. Most small businesses may fall into two categories. They may have no process and all and feel the prospect has enough information to make a decision. Others may have some process in place that may send a letter after a few days or maybe a phone call.
I also ask if they have a process to service customers on an ongoing basis. This is where, in my findings, I have found most small businesses just don’t have the time. They do recognize they should do something with the customers, when needed don’t have the time, resources, or energy to execute.
And this is where, I step in and let them know that these are the best areas for potential automation. Business process automation is simply automating your business process. The advantage of automating your process is huge. Not only will your process be consistent, but it will never fail. Automating your process using Internet technology will also reduce your costs.
So, how would we use process automation in the above example? Here’s a suggestion. When a prospect walks in your door, you must try and get a piece of information from your customer and will let you stay in touch with him or her. This is typically an e-mail address. Using this e-mail address, you will setup timed messages that will take your prospect through your business process. So this maybe, that you send a thank you note after two days, another article on the benefits of the product they were interested in after five days, and a special offer on the product after 8 days.
This achieves the following. Your process is automated, the cost is almost negligible, and you get to be in touch with your prospect behind-the-scenes. Using this process, your prospect might just end up becoming your customer.
Of course, once your prospect has become a customer, you then take him or her to an entirely different process that will continue to educate about the product and offer them special promotions or discounts, making them buy even more.
Business automation is very powerful, and even the smallest business can derive tremendous benefits via automation. I have highlighted just the basics in this article. The intent is to get you excited about identifying areas within your business that you can automate.
Tell next time.
When I visit a client, I will always ask for a description of their business process. If my client is not sure, I will start by asking what happens when a customer calls or when a customer walks in your store. This is an area that most clients are familiar with. This will always get them talking about the process where your salesperson will take your prospective customer through the process. I take notes and let my client talk.
I then shift the conversation to what I normally call as the “backend” process. By backend, I mean the process that takes over in converting your prospect to a customer. Most small businesses may fall into two categories. They may have no process and all and feel the prospect has enough information to make a decision. Others may have some process in place that may send a letter after a few days or maybe a phone call.
I also ask if they have a process to service customers on an ongoing basis. This is where, in my findings, I have found most small businesses just don’t have the time. They do recognize they should do something with the customers, when needed don’t have the time, resources, or energy to execute.
And this is where, I step in and let them know that these are the best areas for potential automation. Business process automation is simply automating your business process. The advantage of automating your process is huge. Not only will your process be consistent, but it will never fail. Automating your process using Internet technology will also reduce your costs.
So, how would we use process automation in the above example? Here’s a suggestion. When a prospect walks in your door, you must try and get a piece of information from your customer and will let you stay in touch with him or her. This is typically an e-mail address. Using this e-mail address, you will setup timed messages that will take your prospect through your business process. So this maybe, that you send a thank you note after two days, another article on the benefits of the product they were interested in after five days, and a special offer on the product after 8 days.
This achieves the following. Your process is automated, the cost is almost negligible, and you get to be in touch with your prospect behind-the-scenes. Using this process, your prospect might just end up becoming your customer.
Of course, once your prospect has become a customer, you then take him or her to an entirely different process that will continue to educate about the product and offer them special promotions or discounts, making them buy even more.
Business automation is very powerful, and even the smallest business can derive tremendous benefits via automation. I have highlighted just the basics in this article. The intent is to get you excited about identifying areas within your business that you can automate.
Tell next time.
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